This paper is to deeply analyze the reasons that contribute to the miserable fate of the female characters in A Thousand Splendid Suns: 1. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 caused serious social turbulence in Afghanistan

which made the Afghan people

especially the women

live a hard life. 2. The United States interferes in the internal affairs of Afghanistan in the name of “antiterrorism” for its own interests

which aggravates the instability in Afghanistan. 3. Afghanistan’s patriarchy restricts women’s equal status as men. 4. Taliban’s policies undermine women’s basic rights. 5. Religion has a profound influence on people’s consciousness and conception. Analyzing these causes can help readers further understand the theme of the novel

as the novel denounces the war and calls for the equal social status of Afghan women.